by Finn, Grade 7
Wow, I’m finally talking about something Pokémon related that hasn’t been the card game. That hasn’t happened in a month or two. But recently in my experience diving back into Pokémon, I came across a challenge/change that had caught my attention previously, that being the Nuzlocke rule set. I had previously started one with Let’s Go Pikachu, but after getting through the first gym I got bored with how easy it was, and stopped it. But now, I’m interested again and figured I will go over the ups and downs, highs and lows, victories and defeats of a Pokémon Nuzlocke.
The Rules
Nuzlockes themselves are not a difficulty added into the games, but rather a creation of community set rules that add a little bit of an extra challenge of a Pokémon game. The rules for a Nuzlocke are simple: You can only catch one Pokémon per route/location, you must nickname all of your Pokémon to get more attached, and if a Pokémon faints in battle, they’re “dead” and can’t be used again. You can do this by either simply releasing the Pokémon or putting it into a dedicated box. And finally, if you white out in battle, you lose and the Nuzlocke is over. There are other rules you can add on like preventing using items like Potions in battle or prevent using held items like Leftovers. So the basic rules are easy to learn and understand and more can be added if needed.
The Magic
A Nuzlocke, like I said previously, adds an extra set of challenge and strategy to Pokémon. Instead of just walking into a battle, you need to try to form the perfect team to fit all type matchups and try to get the best abilities and EVs possible, because if you aren’t careful, you can lose that Pokémon you loved or grinded for a while. The nicknames give you extra attachment to the Pokémon because if they faint, it hurts because you had a form of personal connection and gives you a reason to play well and cautiously. And even if you’re a spectator watching a video or streamer attempt one, you also feel like that even if you aren’t in direct control of the Pokémon.
Tips
There are plenty of people on YouTube alone willing to give you tips on what game to Nuzlocke for you or proper strategy for actually Nuzlocking, but here’s what I learned from not doing a Nuzlocke and instead trusting the Internet. First, get a tank for your party. Tanks are something that can take a lot of hits and doesn’t necessarily do a lot of damage. These tanks give you precious turns to heal up your Pokémon to come back swinging and are a clean switch in if you ever are in trouble. Secondly, 3 Pokémon seem like the best Pokémon possible for Nuzlockes: Gyarados, Crobat and Blissey. Gyarados evolves from Magikarp and since Magikarp are easy to find and in basically every game possible, Gyarados are easy to find. With a wide moveset and a pretty nice attack stat, Gyarados are good at doing a lot of damage with variety, with its only problem being its quad weakness to Electric types. Crobats are you all rounders, being able to be trained to be whatever you want it to be. It can be your tank, your attacker or something to outspeed your opponent with, Crobat has it all. And due to the commonness of Zubats and Golbats, Crobat might take a bit but is a worthy investment. And finally, Blissey. Blissey is one of if not the best tank for Nuzlockes, as it has almost unparalleled defensive stats and with its only big problem being Fighting types which are relatively uncommon outside of a gym and a few trainers, Blissey is amazing.
And yeah, that’s a Nuzlocke. I would end this here with a long speech or something, but I won’t waste your time. So, go try or watch a Nuzlocke I guess.